Rob Roy Cocktail

The Rob Roy gets it's name from an opera by the same name which opened in New York in 1894. In those days it was common to bring about new cocktails and name them after popular shows. For the Rob Roy, they simply took an existing popular cocktail, the Manhattan, and substituted the rye for scotch. Most likely, it would have been made with Dewar's blended scotch, which had just recently begun being imported into the states.

Comments

I use orange bitters instead of Angostura. Of course, Angostura makes an orange bitters as seen on your bar in the video.

Another variation on this variation of the Manhttan is the Robert Burns. Just add a dash (about 4-6 drops) of absinthe in addition to the orange bitters. It adds another level and depth of character to the mix.

The earliest recipes for the Rob Roy used orange bitters instead of aromatic, when orange bitters became less common, many recipes switched to aromatic (which is preferable from dropping them entirely). Now that we are ankle deep in orange bitters, I suppose it would be a good time to start switching over to the “original” recipe. I -do- list orange bitters in my book. :->

The best technicality as to what is specifically called for in a Manhattan is simply “American Whiskey’.

When the Manhattan was originally invented (late 1800’s) it would have been almost certainly made with what today we “might” call Rye, but only because that is how they made it, not how they “specifically” made it. (refering to BOTH the whiskey and the cocktail). Back in those days they weren’t quite as dedicated to making firm and pervasive classifications for their spirits. Which is why when American Whiskey became illegal to manufacture during Prohibition, it didn’t take much effort at all to switch to using Canadian Whisky instead.

If you want to proudly make a Manhattan and pay homage to its lineage, then you’d want to use American Rye Whiskey, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with making it with American Bourbon instead, especially since rye is still pretty difficult to find.

Oh, and I should point out that the previously mentioned definition doesn’t say bourbon must be 51% corn, only that congress has resolved that Bourbon is a distinctive product of the United States, and thereby prevent importation into the United States of whiskey designated as “Bourbon Whiskey” (but not made in the US). As for what Bourbon is comprised of, it simply references that it is made “in accordance with the laws and regulations of the United States which prescribe a standard of identity for “Bourbon whiskey”“

Both are good, but for slightly different reasons. With orange bitters you can taste a decidely citrus (but not sour/tart) flavor underlying the overall cocktail, while with aromatic bitters you can taste spicey notes. Both work well with the scotch.

These videos are great and such a big help to someone just trying to get into bar tending. The history aspect really gives an invaluable foundation in the how and why a particular flavor profile comes to be. On a side note, is there a name for this cocktail when Canadian Whiskey is used (something like a Bootlegger or a Border Crossing).
Thanks,

Great video. The Rob Roy is a winner every time. It’s good for ordering out, as it’s easy to explain and doesn’t need a super-good scotch. Upsettingly, though, some bartenders like to omit the bitters, which to my mind makes a pretty bad drink. My preference is to have it with tons of Angostura bitters, and plenty of vermouth. I haven’t gotten the same pleasure from the dry and perfect versions, but that could be a problem with the proportions. I wonder also why “perfect” has this peculiar meaning in regard to vermouth? Makes a “perfect martini” awkward to order, since you have to make sure the bartender understands what you mean by “perfect”.